MamaGravity good back-story, and good acting

Beanbioca As Good As It Gets

CrawlerChunky In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

Isbel A terrific literary drama and character piece that shows how the process of creating art can be seen differently by those doing it and those looking at it from the outside.

Wuchak Released is 1999 and directed by Richard Attenborough, "Grey Owl" stars Pierce Brosnan as the real-life Archibald Belaney, known as Grey Owl. Claiming partial aboriginal American ancestry, Grey Owl lived as a fur trapper in Temagami, Ontario. Upon meeting the winsome civilized Mohawk, Gertrude Bernard, aka "Pony" (Annie Galipeau), he delved more seriously into writing and became a renowned conservationist in the early 1930s."Grey Owl" is the farthest thing from a conventional Western and could more aptly be described as a Wilderness Drama/Romance. People keep claiming that Belaney lived in Northern Ontario when Temagami Island and Bear Island are decidedly in Southern Ontario, about 200 miles north of Toronto. Simply being North of Toronto doesn't make it "Northern Ontario." As far as Brosnan goes, he is actually very fitting for the eponymous role because (1.) Belaney had a similar build/look and (2.) Belaney was at best half-British (the ending clears this up).Someone claimed that the truth about Belaney wasn't discovered until after his death from pneumonia in 1938, his body weakened by habitual alcoholism. No, stories about his dubious identity had been circulating for years and, as shown in the movie, the North Bay Nugget held on to the revelatory story for three years before his death out of respect for the man's conservationist work, which the newspaper promptly printed after his decease.In any case, to enjoy this film you have to be in the mode for a low-key drama "Western" with lots of romance. If not, you'll likely be bored to death. I found the first half rather dull, but the movie made up for it by Brosnan's stalwart depiction, Galipeau's unique beauty, the magnificent eastern Canada cinematography and the cute baby beavers. The second half, however, becomes more compelling, as the truth about Belaney is slowly revealed. Unfortunately, the movie fails to include two important points about Grey Owl: (1.) Belaney's known alcoholism and (2.) the fact that his wonderful relationship with Gertrude (as illustrated in the move, that is) ended roughly two years before his death.The film runs 118 minutes and was shot in Quebec (Chelsea & Wakefield) & Prince Albert National Park, Saskatchewan, as well as Hastings, East Sussex, England. The script was written by William Nicholson.GRADE: B or B- (6.5/10)

Gross Ryder This is a story of a man who first transforms himself into what he dreams to be – the kind of life he wants to live, and then is further transformed by a woman who commits herself to him. As I see it, this movie is not merely a biography of Archie Grey Owl, but more so of a relationship that transforms him from a trapper into a conservationist and writer. Pony, who befriends him and becomes his wife, lights up the 'eco' consciousness within him so as to make him stop killing the beavers ("You must stop this work. It is killing your spirit as well as mine.") and instead becomes a protector of wildlife by championing the cause of conservation of the ecological system by writing about it. The sequences about the two beaver kits that were saved by Pony after Archie has killed their mother are moving scenes. Pony looks after them and they grow up virtually as part of the family for it is their presence that makes Archie turn away from trapping any more beavers. (The interested viewer may want to check what finally happens about the pair of beavers – (spoiler) and that it is the saddest part of the entire story.) There is another shadow that hangs over Archie, and that is his past, his identity by birth, which he wants to conceal for whatever psychological reasons – one of them being that he loathes the life of the civilized man. It is only a matter of time before someone finds out, and when it is out after his death, the 'civilized' world is outraged at the 'deception'. I would have thought that these 'civilized' people would have been proud of him, and appreciate the joke played on them by the powers that be. As the Indian Chief 'sees' the joke, and has a good laugh at it, the others present also intuit this joke, including Grey Owl, the shadow that hangs over him is lifted. The Chief then makes a remark that epitomizes the life of Grey Owl: "Men become what they dream. You have dreamed well." That scene is the climax of the film, which also lifts the otherwise somber mood. Fairly good overall acting by all the cast, especially Brosnan if one can suspend the 'Bond' image of him. The more complex character of Anahareo (Pony) would always have been a difficult one to portray, but I feel it is good enough, though it could have been better. Compact and comprehensive script, brilliant cinematography, makes it a must watch film for the 'pilgrim of the wild'.

CitizenCaine Richard Attenborough's Grey Owl never received a theatrical release in the United States. The film went straight to video, a monumental flop considering Attenborough's previous successes. All the right elements were in place with wonderful cinematography, beautiful scenery, and a fantastic story to tell. The problem with the film is that ultimately the story just doesn't ring true, and the viewer may be disappointed to find out the romanticized tale Attenborough has fashioned did not exist, for the most part, in real life. Pierce Brosnan was a curious choice to play Grey Owl, but he does well for the most part, despite the limitations of the screenplay. The story is still interesting enough to maintain attention, but the film's revelation (which the screenplay builds up to throughout the film) is a downer to be sure. However, the film still has a message for all of us, despite its inability to sustain the genuineness of its story. There is irony in the film's overemphasis of its ethnic focus in relation to the message touted, received, and then later dismissed by a shortsighted public. Attenborough has a more sympathetic ear for Grey Owl, which explains the incredibly distorted romantic picture the film paints, but he fails to realize the viewer does not necessarily require romanticized window dressing to appreciate the importance of Grey Owl's message. **1/2 of 4 stars.

hokeybutt GREY OWL (2+ outta 5 stars)Interesting but much-too-earnest movie about a white man (Pierce Brosnan), obsessed since childhood with Indian culture, who convinced the world that he was an actual half-breed Indian... lecturing and touring the world. Entranced by his writings and the pride he takes in his "heritage", a young Indian falls in love with him and joins him in his wilderness home... but even she does not know the truth. Eventually, the guilt overwhelms him and he finds he can no longer preach about conservation while living his life as a fraud. I kinda liked the movie... Pierce's performance was alright... but Annie Galipeau steals the movie as his full native love interest. I think the only problem with the movie is that it takes itself a little too seriously... treating the character of Grey Owl as more of a saintly crusader than the "crazy white man" he probably was in reality.